Kiln



NQVQ 4 9 i924. W. E. WILSON ET AL KILN Filed May 20 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 4 1924 1,513,778

w. E. WILSON ET AL KILN Filed May 20. 1921 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Int/62150715:

77568070 3% fizzy Gig/556m,

Nov, 4 1924,

W. E. WILSON ET AL KILN Filed May 20. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. WILSON, OF MASON CITY, IOWA, AND HENRY Gr. LYKKEN, OF MINNE- APOLIS, MINNESOTA.

KILN.

Application filed May 20, 1921.

T0 all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM E. WVILsoN and HENRY G. LYKKEN, citizens of the United'States, residing, respectively, at Mason City, Iowa, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the. apparatus for burning such ware as bricks, tile, fiower pots, and the like, and includes among its objects the following: to reduce the time consumed in firing plastic ware; to provide a plastic ware burning plant such that a maximunr efficiency results; to effect economies in the consumption of fuel for the burning of plastic ware; to eliminate underburned ware often occurring heretofore at the bottoms of kilns; to provide a new construction of plants for the burning of plastic ware; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear.

Our invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while we have shown therein a preferred embodiment we desire the same to be understood as illustrative only and not as limiting our invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary section and plan of a plant designed for the carrying out of our new process; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section similar to Fig. 2, showing the application of overhead firing by means of a fire box traveling on a track above a row of kilns; Fig. 4 is a schematic showing of a. plant in which our new construction is employed; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary showing of a construction similar to Fig. 4., but showing a different arrangement of parts and the application thereof toa set ofkilns such asshown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6' shows a somewhat modified formof construction similar tothat shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a. vertical longitudinal section of the construction shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 isa somewhat enlargedfragmentary showing of a construction similar to that shown in Fig. 6, the section being taken below the dampers when they are in opened position; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary showing of a modified form of con- Serial No. 471,208.

struction; and Fig. 10 shows in a similar manner a further modification.

Referring more in detail to the annexed drawings, numerals 1, 2, 3, 4 refer to a plurality of kilns having fire boxes 5, 6, 7 and 8 which open upwardly through the floors of the kilns. The openings may be circular, rectangular, or of any other appropriate shape, though the circular form is preferred. A. plurality of apertures 9 extending through the floors of the kilns connect the interiors thereof wit-h the ports 10 extending outwardly into the circumferential duct 11, which may be placed either inside or outside. of the kiln wall. Communication between the ducts 10 and 11 is controlled by means of dampers or valves 12, which may be opened or closed to regulate the flow of air or gases through the kilns. A waste heat duct 13 runs along side the kilns and is connected to ducts 11 by means of ducts 14 which may be controlled by suitable dampers. Connected to the waste heat duct 13 at its end 15 is a pipe 16 leading to an exhaust fan 17 by means of which air may be drawn through one of the kilns and forced into the drying room 18 for the drying of ware preparatory to its being watersmoked.

A waste gas duct or exhaust breeching 20 is connected in any appropriate manner with the fire boxes 5, 6, 7 and 8, which may be closed against the entrance of air from the exterior, by any suitable 11118521118. The particular means of connection employed is unimportant but may consist of a pipe extending from the duct 20 to an opening in the cover for the fire box, may extend through an opening in the end wall of the fire box, may extend along side of the fire box to a point near its inner end, may extend underneath the fine box to a point near its inner end, or may be connected in any other suitable way therewith. The duct or exhaust breeching20'leads to afan 21 or chimney, by means of which the waste gas is drawn from the plant and discharged into theair.

In the form of our invention shown in Fig. 8, the'kilns are provided at their-top with upwardly directed connections 22, adapted to fit closely the downwardly directed openings of the fire box 23. The fire box 23 (substituted for fire boxes 58) is provided with a means 24 designed for use with the particular material which it is desired to burn, such as powdered coal, oil, gas, or the like, the whole structure being mounted on a track 25 above the! kiln so that the fire box may be moved from one kiln to another to burn the ware therein. Otherwise than as indicated herein, this structure is the same as that heretofore described. Fig. 4 shows an arrangement of bottom fired, down draft kilns connected by various ducts for the carrying out of our process, While: Fig. 5 shows a similar arrangement of top fired down draft kilns. In these constructions a preheating fine 25 is connected to the various kilns by means of pipes or duets 26, which may be controlled by dampers similar to dampers 12 shown in Fig. 2. In the form of construction shown in Figs.

1 and 2 a fine or chimney 27 is constructed in the kilns and around the openings from the fire box to direct the heat and gases upwardly toward the dome of the kiln to be then distributed throughout the ware stacked therein. In the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 this fine 27 is omitted and the ware is so stacked around the openings as to itself form a flue for the'direction of the heat and gases.

Fig. 10, besides showing a modified arrangement of the ducts shows a detail of the floor arrangement. At 28 is shown the upper layer of the floor structure and at 29 is shown the lower layer thereof. It is of course understood that section 29 in Fig. 10 shows only a portion of one layer of the floor, the remainder of this layer being identical with that shown herein. Similarly section 28 is only one portion of this layer of the floor. Section 29 is laid directly on top of the walls of ducts 10 and the openings 9 thereof are at an angle to said ducts. That part of the floor represented by section 28 is then laid on the part represented by 29, with the openings therethrough extending sub-.

stantially at a right angle to the openings 9. By this arrangement, when the draught draws the heat and gases downwardly through the floor into the ducts 10 the distribution of the heat can be controlled by controlling the openings from the ducts 10 into the duct 11, since if any damper 12'is closed it will prevent the drawing of heat and gases through that flue or duct 10, and will thereby control the heating of the floor above and on opposite sides of said ducts. In this way the heat supplied to the ware in any section or sections of the kiln may be controlled to regulate theburning of the ware stacked therein. This is' important in that it permits the regulation of the heat in such a way as toprevent unequal burning of ware in a kiln, and also permits different kinds of ware to be stacked in different portions of a kiln and be burned at the same time, yet without overburning of any por- I tion thereof. A fioor of the character shown in Fig. 10 may be applied in connection with any of the duct arrangements shown in Figs. 1,6,8and9.-

Our new process will now be described more in detail with reference to the various figures. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is assumed that a fire is burning in fire box 8 of kiln 4 and that the heat and products of combustion are rising toward the dome of the kiln and being deflected downwardly to heat the ware stacked in the kiln. It is of course understood that a portion of the heat and of the products of com.-

bustion are not utilized in this kiln, and that, therefore, the same will be withdrawn through the openings 9 in the bottom of the kiln, will pass out through ducts 14 into the waste heat gas duct 13, through which it will pass until it reaches another duct 14 which Fig. 2 it will be seen that the heat. passes upwardly and then downwardly through kiln 4, outwardly through duct 13 to kiln 1, then inwardlythrough ducts 11 and 10, then passing upwardly through the openings 9 in the floor of kiln 1. From the interior of this kiln the heat and products of combustion are drawn downwardly through the. central openings and outwardly through fire box 5 and exhaust breeching to the fan or stack 21, which furnishes the necessary draft for this operation, as will be readily under- .stood. From this description it willbe' understood that the heat is distributed substantially uniformly throughout the kiln4 and will cause uniform. burning of the Wars in said kiln unlesslocal conditions militate against such a result. If a strong cold wind is blowing on one side of the kiln, itmay become necessary to close some of the ducts 10 on the opposite side of the kiln so a s to force more heat toward the cold side. Also, kilns are sometimes loaded with ware requiring different degrees of burning and' this will necessitate a proper manipulation of the dampers 12 so as to secure the desired distribution ofheat. The heat not utilized in kiln 4 is largely utilized in the preheating and watersmoking of the ware in the next kiln, in the instance shown, kiln 1. By this arrangement the ware at the bottom of the kiln receives the most heat and has therefore advanced the farthest in the process at the time when the burning begins. The result of this is that when the fire is started;

in fire box 5 the heat will rise to the top of" the kiln andv will then pass downwardly through the ware, heating most intensely that at the top, so that, by the time the process is completed, the ware throughout the kiln substantially equally burned and all is ready for removal at the same time. lVhile the foregoing operation is taking place, one of kilns 2 and 3 is cooling and the other one is being unloaded and loaded. If we assume that kiln 3 is cooling and kiln 2 is unloaded and loaded, when the burning of kiln 4 is completed that of kiln 1 may be started and the waste heat and products of combustion from said kiln will be drawn through kiln 2 to preheat and watersmoke the ware in the same. This is thus shown to be a continuous process in which a very large percentage of the heat generated is utilized to the fullest extent and the ware produced is uniformly burned.

Except for the change in location of the fire box in Fig. 3 and the consequent change in the direction of entry of the heat into the kiln, as Well as the withdrawal of the waste gas through the exhaust breeching 20, the operation of this construction is the same as that described above, the advantages also being the same.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4, if we assume that kiln 1 is cooling, kiln 2 is under fire, kiln 3 is preheat-ing and watersm oking, and kiln 4 is being unloaded and loaded, it will be seen that the heat from the cooling ware in kiln 1 will pass outwardly through ducts 14, and 16, being drawn on by fan 17 and forced into drying chamber 18 for the initial drying of the raw ware stacked therein. An auxiliary fan 19 may be used to assist in removing the cool damp air from chamber 18. The unused heat from kiln 2 will pass outwardly through duct 26 into duct and then inwardly through kiln 3 from which it will be withdrawn through duct 20 by means of fan 21.

The operation of the construction shown in Fig. 5 is similar to that shown in Fig. 4, except that duct 20 exhausts the products of combustion through connection 22 at the top of the kilns instead of from the bottom as shown in Fig. 4, and the firing is done at the top instead of at the bottom.

It is of course understood that the specific description of structure and method set forth above may be departed from without departing from the spirit of our invention as set forth in this specification and the appended claims.

Having now described our invention,

e claim:

1. In a structure of the character described, a kiln having a plurality of ducts beneath the floor thereof, exhaust means conneoted therewith, means for controlling the connection between the ducts and the exhaust means, and a perforated floor adapted to permit heated air and gases to be drawn therethrough into the said ducts, the said floor being formed of a plurality of layers, the first of which comprises elongated members, laid transverse to the ducts, and with elongated spaces therebetween, and the second of which is laid transverse to! the first.

2. In a structure of the character described, a kiln having a plurality of ducts beneath the floor thereof, exhaust means connected therewith, means for controlling the connection between the ducts and the exhaust means, the said ducts being open part way across the kiln and each connecting with a limited portion of the kiln floor, and a perforated floor adapted to permit heated air and gases to be drawn therethrough into the said ducts, said floor comprising a plurality of layers, one of said layers having its perforations arranged With their longitudinal axes at an angle to the length of the ducts, and the other one having its perforations arranged with their longitudinal axes transverse to the first named perforations.

3. In a kiln, a substructure comprising a plurality of ducts, opening at one end into a common duct and their opposite ends close-d beneath the kiln floor, and having their tops open, a floor having a plurality of layers, the lower one being perforated, the perforations having their longitudinal axes arranged at an angle to the length of the major portion of the ducts, and a second perforated floor section overlying the first named floor section and having the longitudinal axes of its perforations at an angle to the longitudinal axes of the first named perforations.

4. In a kiln, a substructure comprising a. plurality of ducts of various lengths extending transversely of the kiln, each duct having its inner end closed and its outer end opening into exhaust means whereby heat and products of combustion may be drawn through the ducts to heat any ware within the kiln, each duct having at its outer end a closure means for the control of draft therethrough.

5. In a kiln, a substructure comprising a plurality of ducts of diverse lengths, said ducts extending transversely of the kiln, and having one end closed and the other end provided with a damper.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names to this specification.

WM. E. WILSON. HENRY G. LYKKEN. 

